﻿I﻿t's Out Today﻿﻿Jessica Fletcher makes it look so easy. She hammers out a few pages of the first draft of her new book on an old typewriter, takes a coffee break while her agent is murdered and she solves the crime. Next thing you know she's sipping champagne at the book launch. I wish I knew how she did it. Its a year and nine months since Jen Newby my editor at Pen and Sword commissioned 'Tarts and Terrors',the books working title. A year and eight months since I ordered my first research books from the library. A year since I was banned from the library for running up fines. Christmas I spent writing an index. It's all been worth it though, for Scotland's Hidden Harlots and Heroines is published today. However Jessica manages it, she can keep the champagne for tonight I'll be having a wee single malt and toasting heroines everywhere.

Author

When I was small I asked for a toy typewriter for Christmas. I wanted to be either a writer or a civil servant. Santa came and went and it was with great excitement I rushed to the tree to discover he'd left me - a pram and a doll that wet itself. It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't have what it takes to become a civil servant and many more years to realize part of my dream - becoming a published writer and author. Becoming the writer I want to be may take a while longer. With self publishing as well as traditional publishing widely available these days, it's far easier for writers starting out to cut their teeth. So, if writing for a living is your dream then make your motto -'PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED'